TWENTY20 CUP, NORTH, Grace Road:
Lancashire 151-3 beat Leicestershire 147-3 by seven wickets (Lancashire 2pts)

Francois du Plessis hit two sixes and 13 fours in his unbeaten 78

Francois du Plessis again showed his class as Lancashire cruised to a fourth Twenty20 Cup victory to go four points clear at the top of the North Division.

Chasing Leicestershire's 147-3 at Grace Road, the visitors were wobbling on 47-3 when Steven Croft was run out.

But du Plessis surpassed his previous Twenty20 best with the last of his 13 fours as he hit an unbeaten 78 off 49 balls to help get his side home.

Earlier, Aussie James Allenby batted through for the Foxes, making 71.

In company with his skipper, South African one-day international Boeta Dippenaar (39no), Allenby hit three sixes and six fours in his 54-ball knock, the pair putting on 70 in seven overs to help the Foxes recover after a slow start.

But it was two more South Africans, du Plessis and Ashwell Prince (29no), who steered their side home with 21 balls to spare, thanks to an unbroken stand of 104.

After Harry Gurney had removed both Lancashire openers and James Taylor had then brilliantly run out Croft, the Foxes had a sniff of a victory chance.

But their hopes were ruthlessly rubbed out, du Plessis reaching his 50 off 37 balls before finishing the game off in style with three successive boundaries off Wayne White.

Lancashire now test their 100% record against Derbyshire at Old Trafford on Tuesday night (2 June, 1730 BST).

Leicestershire have an extra day of net practice before Wednesday's visit of Nottinghamshire to Grace Road (3 June, 1730 BST).

Francois du Plessis told BBC Radio Lancashire:

"The Twenty20 is about momentum. We're playing well and want to keep our foot on the pedal.

"But as soon as you start looking too far ahead, you take your attention off what's happening now."

Leicestershire's James Allenby told BBC Radio Leicester:

"It was good to get a few runs again but it's never nice to walk off having come second.

"We thought if we bowled well it would be enough. And Harry Gurney bowled brilliantly up front as he had in the last two games.

"But the rest of us didn't get it right and they batted particularly well."

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